Re: Proper methodology (was: RE: [tied] Re: Mother of all IE langua

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 10:51:42 +0000, tgpedersen <tgpedersen@...>
wrote:

>> The first generation of students at the school did not have a full
>> language, but rather a pidgin consisting of home signs. The second
>> generation of students, however, turned the pidgin into a creole.
>> The
>> original home signs and gestures used by the first generation had
>> contained
>> a great deal of pointing, actions, and repetition. NSL, on the
>> other hand,
>> is much more refined and complex. It contains ways to sign verbs in
>> configuration, serial verbs with complex morphology, and first,
>> second, and third person pronouns.
>>
>
>1) I don't think that text is very clear on the subject of pronouns.
>The occurrence of 'pronouns' in the last sentence could be read as
>referring to the modified verbs the previous reference describes
>(since the context seems to be 'verbs').

I read it as: "NSL [..] contains [..] first, second, and third person
pronouns".

>2) As also the previous reference states, NSL is not conceived ex
>nihilo, but is founded on a 'pidgin consisting of home signs'. No
>mention of whether those 'home signs' included pronouns

The [..] home signs [..] contained [other stuff], NSL, on the other hand,
[..] contains [..] first, second, and third person pronouns.

I think it's implied that the home signs did not contain 1st, 2nd and 3rd
person pronouns.

>, which, if
>true, would invalidate your claim that pronouns in NSL is a
>spontaneous (à la 'bekos') creation.

If so, it merely means that the spontaneous creation already occurred at
the private language/pidgin level.

=======================
Miguel Carrasquer Vidal
mcv@...